Genres Reviews

Blue Note: Album Cover Art

Published in Paperback by Chronicle Books (2002-10-01)

Authors: Graham Marsh and Glyn Callingham

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Average review score:

Nice comendium but...

Helpful Votes: 0 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2008-08-26

would it have been so hard to include an index of artists and album titles, maybe even catalog numbers?

Compact size - great content

Helpful Votes: 10 out of 10 total.
Review Date: 2003-01-15

I have the two other editions of the Blue Note album covers (the ones that are the size of an album) and I love to look at them. The only problem is that they are a little too big to sit and flip through. The size of this book- "Blue Note: Album Cover Art" is perfect for flipping through. It looks small but packs a wonderful punch. I couldn't believe how many album covers were in this book. This book fits nicely on a coffee table or end table. If you are like me, you'll find yourself looking at it daily - in amazement of the style and class that embodies the Blue Note image.

Cover notes

Helpful Votes: 3 out of 3 total.
Review Date: 2008-07-27

If you don't have the large two-volume Blue Note cover books settle for this compact version. Admittedly the reduced size does not quite have the impact of the originals (the two books were just a bit smaller than LP covers featured inside) but I don't think it lessens the impact of these great designs

Most of the work is by Reid Miles and over fifteen years he created about five hundred LP covers, frequently using the gutsy black and white photos of musicians taken by Francis Wolf. There are two stunning books of his work: The Blue Note Years: The Jazz Photography of Francis Wolff and Blue Note: Jazz Photography of Francis Wolff (they are actually different books). Many of these great photos have a black background because they were taken in the windowless studio of Blue Note's main recording engineer Rudy Van Gelder.

Considering that plenty of these cover designs are well over forty years old they still look fresh and dynamic. I think it is because they are really quite simple, a great photo, straightforward typography and perhaps Reid Miles secret: the clever use of space. Flick through the pages and cover after cover have empty areas, these helped to create the Blue Note look. Most LP covers were usually designed to avoid empty space, "fill that hole with the track titles" was no doubt a common cry in record company marketing departments.

This compact paperback is a lovely reminder of some wonderful work by a designer who created so much from so little.

***FOR AN INSIDE LOOK click 'customer images' under the cover.

excellent book; makes a great guide to blue note records

Helpful Votes: 3 out of 3 total.
Review Date: 2003-11-06

This compact book gives examples of some of the greatest album covers, to some of the finest albums, and now cds, issued by the label. It also makes a great guide for albums to check out, to see if they are still in print; which many of them are. Even for the out of print ones, it provides a nice collection for information purposes, and is reasonably priced. I look forward to finding and buying volume 2.

Classic

Helpful Votes: 4 out of 4 total.
Review Date: 2004-06-20

Blue Note Records not only released Classic Albums but also had Classic Album Covers that covered so much more.the Book displays the many images&stylings.if you get a chance watch the special on Blue Note Records which goes into full depth about the Music,Artists,Owners of the Label&those Classic album covers. enjoy.

Bluegrass Mandolin

Published in Paperback by Oak Publications (1975-12-31)

Author: Jack Tottle

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Average review score:

An excellent choice.

Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-06-25

Well written, good tunes, and well organized. Much better than other "how to play..." types of texts. Having a bit of familiarity with the tunes helps, but that is always the case when learning music.

Great way to start playing

Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-07-20

I was searching for a really comprehensive instruction book for mando, and I have found one: "Bluegrass Mandolin" by Jack Tottle. While I realize there are many styles for playing, I think this is a really good way to get started. The lessons are presented in both standard notation and tablature, and they graduate in complexity as you get farther along.

My only complaint is that this doesn't come with a CD. But this is a slam more towards myself than towards the author. I am ashamed to say that, with the exception of a few songs, I am woefully unfamiliar with most of these beloved folk and bluegrass standards; and the majority of my learning procedure in the past has been by ear. But I am looking at this as a challenge and a way to exercise my ability to read and play along with sheet music. Still, hearing the actual song would help me play more fluid-ish. A check of the copyright page tells me that it first went to press in the late 70s, so CDs were far into the future.

Bluegrass Mandolin

Helpful Votes: 11 out of 13 total.
Review Date: 2000-04-05

When I started playing mandolin 15 years ago this was the only book I could find. It turned out to be a great investment. Easy to read, easy to follow. The music is timeless and jack has a very unique style. For beginners or experts alike theres a lot here I'd highlt recommend it

A Bluegrass Mandolin book!

Helpful Votes: 12 out of 28 total.
Review Date: 2001-12-06

I like this book and it helps me play the mandolin.

A Bluegrass Mandolin book is a cool one by the author named Jack Tottle!

This is published by Oak publications.

I got this book from my grade 6 teacher Mr. Dan LeBlanc last year and he gave it to me becuase I liked mandolins.

This is a good book and the songs I like to play on my mandolin is:

Oh Suzanna,
John Hardy,
Cripple Creek &
Banks of the Ohio.

The song I love to play on my mandolin is Banks of the Ohio.

There is a record inside the book and you have to put it on tape.

I like this book because of the F Style Mandolin on the cover.

Bill Monroe is in this book.

This is a great book, A Bluegrass Mandolin book and I love it!

Have fun,
And I hope everybody likes it.

Start Playing Today

Helpful Votes: 22 out of 22 total.
Review Date: 2002-10-14

Tottle starts with some musical fundamentals -- general points like reading TAB and musical notation, time signatures, rhythm, etc., as well as mandolin-specific issues like tuning. If you have another instrument under your belt, this makes quick reading and then Tottle immediately starts you on learning simple pieces. Since I already play the guitar, for instance, I opened this book and almost immediately learned my first rag.

After you have half a dozen dance numbers under your belt, Tottle breaks out a small chord dictionary and introduces the idea of the structured bluegrass song, with instrumental breaks in between verses. Starting with "The Banks of the Ohio", he then demonstrates how to construct a mandolin break around a song's melody. As he adds numbers, Tottle increases in complexity, and it pretty quickly adds up to an impressive repertoire.

Tottle's writing is clear and straightforward. All music is presented in standard notation and in tablature. Occasional charming photographs of mandolin greats add a nice touch.

The book I have does not have the CD, but the CD can only add to what is a great instructional book.

Bob Marley: Spirit Dancer

Published in Paperback by W. W. Norton & Company (1994-10)

Author: Bruce W. Talamon

List price: $17.95

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Average review score:

Proud Spirit

Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2008-02-15

The photographs and the written text of this book compliment each other
perfectly. This book is put together not just for the Bob Marley fan but
any style music fan and also for fans of photography.

GOOD PICS

Helpful Votes: 1 out of 3 total.
Review Date: 2001-02-21

AUTHOR WAS OBVIOUSLY A CLOSE FRIEND OF BOB'S!

ITS SO WONDERFULL READING THE BOOK

Helpful Votes: 1 out of 12 total.
Review Date: 1999-06-08

MY ONLY SUGGESTION IS THAT THOS BOOK REALLY POTRAYS CLEARLY THE LIFE OF A LEGEND.

BEST POINTS TO MY BROTHA

Helpful Votes: 1 out of 9 total.
Review Date: 1998-05-14

Pi up this book put the record on and get into this love and obscurity of "Slave Driver". Enjoy it.

One Of My Favorite Biographies

Helpful Votes: 25 out of 27 total.
Review Date: 2000-06-19

One of the most surprising things you'd expect out of me, a 15 year old skate punk kid, is my collection of books. Big and small, short and long, all of my books are spanned on a shelf system that runs around my room. An those are just the good ones. The really good ones go in my night table drawer. This is one of them. Bob Marley is and was one of the most inflential people not only in my life, but in many others as well. This book not only shows that, it also shows the feels and vibes of Caribbean life during his time. It richly illustrates reggae in general, racial boundaries, and social problems of Marley's time. It is a vividly painted portrait of one of the greatest musicians of our time. With facts from his birth to his death and everything that happened to him in between, it helps you (the reader) to fully understand this great person. Bob Marley was truly influential, and this book illustrates that fact completely. You will read it over and over and over again.

Bright Balkan Morning: Romani Lives and the Power of Music in Greek Macedonia

Published in Paperback by Wesleyan (2002-12-09)

Authors: Charles Keil and Angeliki Vellou Keil

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Average review score:

Evocative, Engrossing, Encompassing

Helpful Votes: 10 out of 10 total.
Review Date: 2003-01-16

When you get Bright Balkan Morning you are likely to open it up and then leaf through it, looking at the photographs. After a few minutes of this you'll remove the CD from the inside back cover and put it on. Then you continue looking at the photos while listening to the sounds.

That in itself is a rich and satisfying experience. But don't stop there. Read the text!

It tells of Roma (aka Gypsy) musicians who have cornered the market on live music in polyglot Greek Macedonia. While they are at the bottom of the social order, anyone who wishes a proper wedding, festival, or party of any kind hires these musicians. The musicians generally perform in trios, one playing a bass drum while the other two play the zurna - a double-reed woodwind found throughout Eurasia and Africa. Their repertoire is drawn from the peoples who live in the area, or passed through at one time, and is sometimes more Oriental, sometimes more European - whatever the customer wants.

Keil and Keil give detailed accounts of several performances - a baptism, a wedding, and a saint's day festival - tell the life stories of a dozen or so musicians & family, and recount the broad history of the Roma in the Mediterranean as well as presenting a more focused account of their sojourn in Greek Macedonia. Blau's photographs range from intimate portraits, to dancers in full party whirl, through street scenes jumbled or measured, to serene landscapes. Some of his shots are so strikingly composed - the cover image, for example - that the effect is both subjective (Blau's aesthetic) and objective (we're looking at things, out there, in the world). Steven Feld's soundscapes give us the living flow of sound. Not only do we hear the twin zurnas flying through drum rhythms, but dancing feet, shouts of joy and exertion, motors churning, sheep braying, and Stevie Wonder piped in through a tinny sound system.

Bright Balkan Morning is a milestone. See it, hear it, read it. Take pleasure in it.

Extraordinary

Helpful Votes: 16 out of 25 total.
Review Date: 2004-11-28

This book is, in a word, extraordinary; so is the accompanying CD recording, which gives in addition to music of the Macedonian Romany people, a slice of their life in cafes and markets. One hears their daily activities, the sale of pita, and various wares, as well as juke boxes and street sounds as the Mahala awakens.

Mahala, for those unaware, is the village ghetto to which Rom people are generally confined, although the anthropologists who compiled this book do not seem to know that it is Arabic for ghetto, and the same word used in North Africa and other Middle Eastern Muslim nations to describe the Jewish and Christian ghettos in which those dhimmi groups are similarly confined. Dhimmis are the non-Muslim minorities in Muslim lands, and their treatment (and in Muslim nation remains) generally described and defined by the Islamic laws of jihad.

Unlike most other recent books about the Rom, this one contains a massive amount of research on the lives and music of these people, as they live it; but what I like the most are the oral histories that provide readers with a real sense of the hardships suffered by the Rom in Greek Macedonia. While the book mentions the great and disastrous Turkish invasion of Greece in 1922, it does not note the great massacre of an estimated 150,000 Christian Greeks and Armenians in Smyrna on the Aegean coast that year. This undoubtedly included some Rom, as the town was then (as now) central on the Turkish coast.

But without knowing it, the authors have demonstrated some of the ill effects of Muslim rule, for they do discuss, via oral histories, the great liberation experienced by Greek Roma in 1924, when Turks were repatriated to Turkey and 1 million Greeks from Turkey to Greece. The latter may have lost some territory, but she gained liberation from Muslim oppression.

As Greeks from Turkey poured into Greece, the town fathers in Jumaya, for example, and presumably everywhere else the Roma then lived in Greece, began to allow the Roma to go to school with Greeks. Beforehand, the Turks had imposed separation on non-Muslim peoples. But with Turks gone, Greeks exiled the old cast system too, thereby relinquishing the system that had helped imprison Greek Roma in lives without equal education. Now, suddenly, the Rom could attend the same school as everyone else.

There are many wonderful features of this book, including the photographs and the music CD at its end. But make no mistake, the oral histories are the best feature, making this one of the best books on the Rom I have read to date.

--Alyssa A. Lappen

THEY'LL STEAL YOUR HEART, TOO

Helpful Votes: 6 out of 6 total.
Review Date: 2003-01-10

In the rich and wonderful BRIGHT BALKAN MORNING: Romani Lives and the Power of Music in Greek Macedonia (Wesleyan University Press. Includes a CD), Charles and Angeliki Vellou Keil write of how, since the earliest days of Byzantium, commentators have remarked, sometimes positively and sometimes negatively, on the power of the Romani people to "steal your heart." With its stunning photographs by Dick Blau and its evocative CD produced by Steven Feld, this book is just one more instance of stolen hearts. The Romani, who are sometimes called gypsies, have stolen the authors' hearts and are well on their way to stealing my heart as well.

I urge you to buy this book. I say so as someone who almost never reads anything published by an academic press. I am definitely not an anthropologist or a social scientist of any kind. What I know about the raw and the cooked doesn't get very far beyond my kitchen, but I couldn't put BRIGHT BALKAN MORNING down. This book ought to be that rare thing: an academic book with popular appeal.

The easiest way into the riches of BRIGHT BALKAN MORNING are Blau's black-and-white photographs of the Romani playing their instruments for weddings, wrestling matches, and the little parades that apparently form wherever they go. When the dances started up, I have a feeling that Blau joined in, for these pictures just pulled me along. I could smell the perfume in the grandmother's handkerchief as she held it out to Blau and, through him, to me, as we all danced together. I could see the textures of the road when I took my place in the wedding parade; I could almost hear the sound of the zurna (a kind of outdoor oboe) being played in my ear.

Of course Steven Feld's CD brings the actual sounds to life. The CD begins oh so slyly by introducing Romani music emerging from the ambient sounds of twentieth-century Macedonia. The Romani are, if nothing else, great survivors of history's cultural wars, and you can hear so many diverse musical strains-from the Muslim to the techno pop. Eerily enough, the rhythm of the dauli (a two-headed bass drum) being played sounds exactly like the bass-drum pounding at a high-school football pep rally.

I wasn't as happy with the book's writing style, but then the authors seem to be wrestling with shaping this heartfelt information of theirs into all the requirements of academic publishing, and that struggle oddly mirrors the lives of the Romani. This sometimes awkward prose becomes just one more instance of the dance the Romani inspire everywhere they go as they blend in and out of the moment's culture.

--R. M. Ryan
Duncans Mills, CA

Bright Balkan Morning = Late Chicago Night!

Helpful Votes: 7 out of 7 total.
Review Date: 2003-07-02

Last night I planned to read this book for just a few minutes before going to sleep. Hours later, instead of sleeping I was transformed into the world of the Balkan Roma musicians and their incredible culture! I simply couldn't put this amazing book down. I love the stories and interviews with the old musicians, the informative history of the Roma people and their culture, the full-of-life photos, and the CD with soundscapes. All these pieces combine to give the reader a great view of a people and their heritage, and one that has been largely overlooked in the past. I found the work ethic of the musicians described in this book to be very inspirational. To be able to play all kinds of requests for days on end is really something to admire. Musicians of any genre could learn a whole lot from reading about the musicians in this book. Years ago, these authors turned me on to the subculture of polka in the USA (and made a polkaholic out of me) with their super "Polka Happiness" book. They have clearly done it again - informed the world about an incredibly rich culture that was largely hidden from view.

Big Fat Roma Music Book

Helpful Votes: 8 out of 8 total.
Review Date: 2003-02-17

This book responds to my interest in the social context of folk music and dance. The focus was on the lives of the people who make the music, in this case the Roma of Jumaya (Iriklia) in Greek Macedonia. The writers give you quite a rounded view, describing how the music is performed, at what kinds of events, how people relate to the music and each other, how the musicians see themselves and their occupation and how making a living as a Roma musician fits into Greek society. There is also a strong sense of history and how things have changed over time in many ways - the history of Roma in Greece and other Balkan countries, the specific history of Roma in Jumaya, and the stories of individual musicians and their families. The consistently positive way that the writers approach their subject is also refreshing - they describe how Roma have used music to survive and, in some cases, prosper, and how in doing so they have contributed to the multi-layered fabric of Greek-Macedonian ethnic identities.

What is especially interesting to me is the authors' view of how multi-ethnic society works in Greek Macedonia as compared to Bulgaria or Former Yugoslavia, and how the strategy of Roma musicians is different in these different countries. In Greek Macedonia the musicians play the music of all ethnic groups in order to maximize their flexibility and income. During multi-ethnic celebrations the musicians follow a strict policy of playing everyone's requests in the order requested, so that no one feels that they have priority. There is a fascinating description of an ethnically mixed wedding where the families have to adjust their various wedding traditions to accommodate each other, making it up as they go along to some extent.

The authors compare and contrast this with the approach taken by Roma musicians in other areas of the Balkans. In Kosovo in the 1980s the Roma musicians are said to have purposely selected music from traditions from other than Serbian and Albanian in order to avoid conflicts. In Bulgaria the wedding band tradition is described as leading to a new pan-Balkan "fusion" style which borrows from many cultures but still feels Bulgarian. Ultimately the motivation behind each strategy is the need of musicians to make a living.

The book is interesting reading from a North American perspective as well. Keil contrasts the multi-ethnic consciousness of Greeks, where the same person may have several types of ethnic and national identities simultaneously, with the concept of "multiculturalism" which he describes as slices of a pizza in which there are lots of ethnicities but everyone is either one thing or another. This raise the question of what is really going on in such immigrant nations as Canada and the United States.

The accompanying CD is a potpourri of sounds, including music of various types, and there is a section of the book describing the contents of the CD. Some of the track titles are Market Day in Jumaya, Afternoon at a Mahala Café, At Home in the Mahala, New Year's Party in Serres, Taverna Party at Nikisiani. The combination of the text, the many high quality black and white photos and the soundscape are successful in putting you into the experience, as much as this is possible. There was also a nice balance between Angeliki Keil's straight-forward and very readable reporting of the lives of the musicians and Charles Keil's more theoretical musings about ethnicity, the music and the role of the musicians. My only complaint about the book is its weight - it's printed on very heavy, glossy stock, no doubt adding to the quality of photographic reproductions, but it is so big and heavy that you pretty well have to read it sitting up. An alternate title could be, "Your Big Fat Roma Music Book."

The Brothers

Published in Hardcover by Little, Brown and Company (2000-09-19)

Authors: Art Neville, Aaron Neville, Charles Neville, Cyril Neville, and David Ritz

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Average review score:

The Nevilles: the road to reognition and resolution

Helpful Votes: 14 out of 14 total.
Review Date: 2000-10-05

The Brothers is a coherent and compelling series of autobiographical narratives, alternating among Art, Charles, Aaron, and Cyril. These perspectives are a valuable record of collective memory, as well as moving individual journeys. American culture from the late 1930s to the close of century informs and drives these voices: here is camaraderie and racism, love and alienation, spirituality and hedonism, cruelty and tenderness, peace and rage, cocky determination and chilling fear, triumph and despair--all related with a palpable frankness. Those of us born in the 30s and 40s will find parts of ourselves here; those born later will see how true it is that "past is present." Lovers of jazz, blues, early rock'roll, funk and r&b, and New Orleans rhythms will revel in the stories of contacts with the "greats." The street language may put off some readers. With all respect to those readers, I suggest their tolerance. It is no small thing that those who struggle with personal demons may find a light to their paths between the covers of this book. Over 300 pages, family photos, discographies, and an index.

Exellent bios

Helpful Votes: 17 out of 18 total.
Review Date: 2000-09-12

This autobiography is actually a quartet of autobiographies as the essence of each of the four Neville brothers come alive in this book. The non-fiction focuses on the individual personalities, their personal take on music including their solo careers and group performances and recordings. It also Includes their evaluation of the last four decades of music especially in New Orleans and their personal trials and tribulations.

All this marks this non-fiction, as several cuts above the typical wave of rock and roll biographies that seem like perfect flavors of the month. Instead this tome provides a "Tell It Like It Is" feel that fans of the New Orleans sound will enjoy. Anyone who reads THE BROTHERS NEVILLE will seek other works by master music biographer David Ritz (see his works on Ray Charles, Marvin Gaye, and Aretha Franklin, etc.) as this reviewer plans to do.

Harriet Klausner

A Musical Journey to Self Discovery

Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2005-10-23

The Brothers is a extraordinary look at how music and culture nurture us and redeem us. The power of this book lies in the unashamed honesty of the Neville Brothers and the wisdom and confidence of the author to allow the brothers to tell their own story. Unencumbered by analysis or author's comments, the brothers simply present their stories while the author ties the threads together to show how the Neville brothers as individuals worked through their personal problems and came together as a family and a musical group. There is no other book that means more to me than The Brothers. Their story has helped me to make sense of my own journey as an American journalist and music critic living and working on the island of Trinidad in the West Indies.

Extraordinary!

Helpful Votes: 6 out of 6 total.
Review Date: 2001-10-09

David Ritz has helped many rhythm and blues musicians write their autobiographies, including Ray Charles, B. B. King, Marvin Gaye, Etta James, and Aretha Franklin. The characteristics that these books share is the sense that the subject is writing directly to you as you read, and that the bad times as well as the good times are revealed. If you are a fan of the musician, you feel like you have a better understanding of them once you've read the book Ritz helped them write.

The Neville Brothers' story must have been complicated to organize because there are 4 Neville Brothers, Art, Charles, Aaron and Cyrille. They tell their stories simultaneously, a paragraph or two by one brother and then a paragraph or two by another and so on. The story they tell is fascinating and often horrific! Violence, drug abuse, crazy characters, prison terms and danger fill virtually every page. These are fascinating lives to read about, but I wouldn't want to live them! Aaron and Charles seem to be the most forthcoming and the most sympathetic of the brothers. If you love Neville Brothers' music, you'll want to own this book!

very complete

Helpful Votes: 7 out of 9 total.
Review Date: 2000-11-26

THe Neville Brothers are a very solid unit.Great talents.this book takes them not only as a Group but also as People with feelings&outlooks.David Ritz does a Great job of doing books.always Interesting reads.this is a very complete book.long overdue on these greats.but better late than never.

The Cantatas of J. S. Bach: With Their Librettos in German-English Parallel Text

Published in Paperback by Oxford University Press, USA (2006-09-14)

Author: Alfred Durr

List price: $99.00

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Average review score:

Essential resource for sacred musicians, Bach scholars

Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2007-12-12

Alfred Durr, co-editor of the Neue Bach Ausgabe, shares his wealth of knowledge of this vastly varied and enormously rich repertoire in this large, expensive, but excellent book.

The first section of the book traces the development of the sacred cantata as a genre through 1750. Durr here defines important terms and places Bach's works in historical context.

The bulk of the text is a presentation of the cantatas in the order of the liturgical calendar. For each cantata Durr provides the text, its English translation, and the circumstances surrounding the piece's composition. He also offers analyses/descriptions which vary from half a page for some of the briefer, simpler works, to ten pages for works of particular depth (BWV 106 comes to mind).

This book is an invaluable resource to Bach scholars, singers, and conductors. Also consider Marvin Unger's book on Bach's Cantata Texts for an intertextual look at Bach as theologian.

BMN

A must for all cantata lovers...

Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2008-05-17

...such as myself. Yes, yes, I know, it's bloomin' expensive for a paperback, but what a paperback! An essential companion to one of the greatest bodies of music ever written. Professor Dürr describes the cantatas in church year order, so first up is Advent cantata BWV61 "Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland" for the first Sunday in Advent. In addition to the church cantatas, you also get the secular cantatas and the Christmas Oratorio, not to mention detailed historical and musical descriptions. In short, a treasure trove of a book.

contains original German alongside English translations

Helpful Votes: 2 out of 4 total.
Review Date: 2007-08-23

This is a dense and rewarding book for classical music fans as well as those interested in the German language. Worth the price.

Outstanding Resource

Helpful Votes: 4 out of 6 total.
Review Date: 2007-02-06

Alfred Durr's The Cantatas of J.S. Bach is the "bible" for any conductor, artistic director, church musician or music performer and listener that is interested in performing or understanding Bach's canon. Hi give it my highest recomendation.

Costly but useful

Helpful Votes: 8 out of 8 total.
Review Date: 2006-05-09

This is a very expensive, but wonderfully useful book. It gives the libretto to every single cantata plus information on the liturgical occasion for the cantata and a good, albeit brief discussion of the meaning of the piecel I quailed when I first bought it, because it is expensive. But it is my vade mecum. I use it constantly.

Carmina Burana: Vocal Score

Published in Paperback by Schott (2006-11-10)

Author: Hal Leonard Corporation

List price: $35.00

New price: $23.99
Used price: $75.15

Average review score:

Beats heck out of the part score for chorus

Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-03-11

This book has the full vocal score, well-printed, well laid-out. If you're doing Carmina, you want this score! Clear type, adequate size, good binding, and you can see what the other parts are doing, which really helps most choral singers.

Expensive, but worth it. Particularly if you're going to do Carmina maybe 5-10 times in your career.

Music score

Helpful Votes: 0 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2008-02-29

The music scores are just perfect. The timeliness of delivery is better than I expect. I recieved them much earlier than the published official "snail mail" pace (up to 4 weeks)of SuperSaver free shipping option. It is disappointing if indeed it does take several weeks to mail pages of sheet music from the warehouse while business is conducted at internet speed.

Carmina Burana

Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-02-09

This was exactly what I was looking for so that I can have my own copy to use for our performance. Thank you.

At last CB scores at a fair price

Helpful Votes: 1 out of 6 total.
Review Date: 2007-06-27

Those greedy Orff heirs have been ripping off American singers for years because we have been stupid enough to pay their inflated prices to perform this popular work. Incidentally the score lists for $35 in America and only $20 in Germany and England. I can't wait until CB goes public domain. After all, it was Carl who created this great work, not those money-grubbing leeches who will then have to go out and get honest work like the rest of us.

Carmina Burana for a Working Singer

Helpful Votes: 4 out of 4 total.
Review Date: 2007-05-13

This was a good score. Clear and well layed out.

Celebration!

Published in Paperback by Seton Saint Clare Books (2000-10-10)

Author: Kay Moser

List price: $11.99

New price: $2.50
Used price: $0.63

Average review score:

A Truly Life-changing Novel

Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2005-01-31

I gave my hair stylist a copy of Kay Moser's "Celebration!" for Christmas because reading that novel totally changed the way I look at life.
I just went to get my hair cut, and my hair stylist said the following things:

"I just want you to know that I think Kay Moser is the best writer I've ever read. I just finished reading 'Celebration!' and I've never read a book that meant so much to me. I could not quit reading it. I read late into the night; I read in the car; my whole family kept saying, 'what's wrong with you? You never read a book!' As I got toward the end, I kept noticing how few pages were left, and I just couldn't stand it. 'I don't want this book to be over!' I kept saying. 'I don't want to leave these characters. I can't stand for this book to end.'"

When I asked my hair stylist to comment on what the book had communicated to her, she responded,
"I never thought about everybody having a story that explains why they have become what they've become. I never realized how much choice I have and how much my choices decide my life."

As I handed my stylist a check, her eyes suddenly flooded with tears, and she whispered, "I am that woman in 'Celebration!' I really am Rachel! I need to make some changes in my life. This book hit me so hard; I've got to re-read it. You know, the author was so kind to me in that book. Over and over she took me to the edge, to the point that I thought I would drown, but then she gently pulled me back from the edge. I needed to almost drown in order to finally hear the truth. Thank you for giving me that novel!"

When I got home, I wanted to know more about Kay Moser. I did an online search and found www.kaymoser.com. I'm glad I did! I e-mailed her, and she answered!

Celebration! by Kay Moser

Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2002-07-14

I thought this book was wonderful. It really shows all of the right qualities a book should have. I think that anyone that wants to read a good book should grab this off a shelf. It really re-lights that flame for God.

Celebrate This Book!

Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2005-01-25

My Mom introduced me to Kay Moser, and I just loved this book. It is such a meaningful and powerful story. I would highly recommend it.

An Awesome Read

Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2003-08-09

I couldn't put this book down. It's the first novel I've ever read that was both entertaining and healing. It's the story of Rachel, a woman who is terribly successful so she thinks she's worthy. When she loses everything, she feels worthless, but as the novel continues, she learns the true sources of her worth. This book really helped me deal with some issues of worth I have been struggling with. Read this book! You will be entertained and changed for the better. Give this book to your friends! They will thank you.

This book is truly enlightening!!

Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2001-07-03

At first, I read the first 20 pages, and put the book down, thinking it was a just a depressing, domestic abuse book. My uncle told me to try again, as it was not about that at all. He was entirly correct!! It was the first book that I read in 2 nights in my entire life. You will view the world and yourself differently after reading this book. Where is Kay Moser now, and why isn't she writing more books???

Chet Atkins: Me and My Guitars (Russ Cochran Books)

Published in Paperback by Hal Leonard (2003-05-01)

Authors: Russ Cochran and Chet Atkins

List price: $30.00

New price: $19.81
Used price: $25.25
Collectible price: $30.00

Average review score:

The best book on Chet so far.

Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2008-04-05

I can't stop looking at the lovely pics. of all Chet's 60 guitars. And the stories in his own words. The best book in the world.

Chet Atkins

Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2008-01-07

This is a ghost written autobiography of Chet and his various guitars. It has outstanding photography and provides insight into the character of the man.

BEAUTIFUL GUITAR PICTURES & STORIES

Helpful Votes: 16 out of 16 total.
Review Date: 2003-07-02

At first I just meant to thumb through a few pages but Chet's easy-going and enjoyable writing style sucked me in. The next thing it was 2 am and I'd finished most of the book. Although I suffered the next day at work I didn't mind it a bit.

If you like vintage guitars or Chet Atkins' playing I can't recommend this book strongly enough. It is full of beautiful color pictures and behind-the-scenes descriptions of the development of some very interesting and historic instruments. Chet's stories of the people he played with, the guitars he played and the music he made are wonderful and totally engrossing. Buy this book today!!

A Chet Atkins Treasure!

Helpful Votes: 4 out of 4 total.
Review Date: 2006-03-16

As I Chet fan, I am always wanting more photos, information etc. on Chets's life, guitars, equipment and technique. This book is fantastic!! The book quality is superb and the photos are exquisite! I am very well pleased to have this book in my Chet collection.

Beautifully Illustrated With Engaging Narrative

Helpful Votes: 7 out of 7 total.
Review Date: 2004-01-08

Chet relates the story of his life and describes the guitars he owned and helped design in an easy-going, yet informative, manner in this book, which is lavishly illustrated with photographs of his guitars. As a country music enthusiast, I found Chet's story to be very interesting -- he had much more contact with some of the early artists (such as Karl Davis and Bill Carlisle) than I'd realised. Chet's narrative is characterised by his modesty and generosity to others: for example, he relates how Mother Maybelle Carter and her family fought some elements of the Nashville establishment to ensure he was permitted to play in Music City; and he is very complimentary of other guitarists (e.g. to Australia's Tommy Emmanuel).
I have no hesitation in recommending this book to any country-music enthusiast or country guitarist, though the book also has a much wider appeal.

Child in Time: The Life Story of the Singer from Deep Purple

Published in Paperback by Music Book Services Corporation (1995-04)

Authors: Ian Gillan and David Cohen

List price: $16.99

Used price: $50.45

Average review score:

What an outrageous life!

Helpful Votes: 13 out of 13 total.
Review Date: 1999-11-03

Child In Time is the autobiography of Ian Gillan, best known as the singer behind Deep Purple's legendary Mark 2 lineup (responsible for such hard rock classics as "Smoke on the Water," "Highway Star," "Woman From Tokyo," and yes, "Child In Time.") But he's also fronted his own band, Gillan, and Black Sabbath (on one album), not to mention sung the role of Jesus for the original Jesus Christ Superstar. All the while he has lived an interesting life, from his humble beginnings as the child of a divorced marriage, through his early singing days (inspired because he wanted to get into the movies like Elvis), through becoming DP's hard-drinking but always affable singer--and developing a love/hate (some would say hate/hate) relationship with the guitarist, Ritchie Blackmore. In fact the main reason I got this book was to try to get the "dirt" on their relationship. There are some juicy tidbits here, including the time Ritchie smashed a plate of spaghetti in Ian's face because he thought that the singer had put ketchup in the pasta. "Come on!" Ritchie taunted, but Ian just walked out of the room, almost in tears. Eat your heart out, MTV's Real World! But seriously, Ian acknowledges that they're like apples and oranges even if some of their musical collaborations have been magical. Elsewhere, Ian documents his views on drugs, sex, business dealings, and how to deal with traveling in unfamiliar countries. Not to be missed is the hilarious section on his year-long stint with Black Sabbath--pure Spinal Tap if it's to be believed. While there are some egregious mistakes in the book (concerning certain dates), I believe a recent edition has corrected them. Also, some feminists might not cotton to some of his views regarding male/female relationships, even if he seems happily married. Check out Child In Time and learn more about Ian Gillan (and Deep Purple!) than you'll ever see in one single book again (unless the 1983 Deep Purple Illustrated Biography is ever updated and re-released, that is).

SImply superb

Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 1999-07-21

If you are a great fan of deep purple or Ian gillan this book is a must have

A must for any real hard-rock fan !

Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 1998-06-25

It tells in details the life of this marvellous singer, known by many people as The silver voice ! Ian Gillan is well known as the character of Jesus Christ Superstar in the record of the opera in the early seventies. Ian tells his career in full details, his family, his passion for music and drink !! Deep Purple is part of his life (most of it) and you can see it well detailed over here. A magnificent job by Ian. A complete biography of one of our most loved singers of all time: Mr. Gillan from Deep Purple. Hope you can enjoy it as I did.

A must for fans of Deep Purple, and all of Gillan's work.

Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 1997-07-11

Regarded by many as one of the greatest rock singers of all time -- this book details the life and times of Ian Gillan, best known as the lead singer for Deep Purple. Many will also remember him as the voice of Jesus on the original recording of the rock opera "Jesus Christ Superstar".

The book is a biography, written by David Cohen, with facts obtained from Ian himself. It gives insight into the clashes within the Deep Purple clan, and how Gillan went on to a successful solo career (only to return to the Purple camp he loved so well).

It's the world of rock and roll as seen through the eyes of one of its most witty and talented players.

An excellent bio of Deep Purple's outrageous lead singer

Helpful Votes: 3 out of 3 total.
Review Date: 1997-12-16

The incredible story of Ian Gillan, one of hard rock's greatest and most influential vocalists. Ian offers up many an outrageous tale of the life of a rock star, beginning with his childhood to the start of his third stint with Deep Purple in 1993.

The writing is witty and quick-paced and seemingly quite honest, as Ian relates freely both his triumphs and failures as a solo artist and as a member of such classic hard rock outfits as Deep Purple and Black Sabbath.

I highly recommend this for any fan of Ian, Deep Purple, or of hard rock/heavy metal in general.

Genres Books